Ernest yeoman robinson



Aug. 16, 1927. 1,639,575

E. Y. ROBINSON SEAL, JOINT', AND THE LIKE 0F VACUUM CONTA INERS Filed Aug. 20, 1923 Attomg Patented Aug. 16, 1927.

UNITED STATES ERNEST YEOMAN ROBINSON, OF MANCHESTER, ENGLAND. ASSIGNOR TO METRO- POLITAN-VICKERS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LIMITED, OF

BRITISH JOINT STOCK COMPANY.

LONDON, ENGLAND, A

SEAL, JOINT, AND THE LIKE OF VACUUM CONTAINERS.

Application filed August 20, 1923, Serial No. 658,409, and in Great Britain August 25, 1922.

This invention relates to improvements in seals, joints and the like of vacuum eontainers and provides a method of scaling together portions of containers or parts thereof Such for example as the seals for the leading-in wires of electrical apparatus.

The invention provides a method of sealing whereby portions of th container, seals. and the like which are scaled together may be separated at will without destruction of the apparatus. The container elements which are sealed together may be either metallic or non-metallic. The invention particularly provides for the case wherein one of the elements is non-metallic such for'example as glass, silica and the like. and the other element is metallic. Furthermore the invenlion also particularly relates to the sealing in of the leading-in conductors and the' like of vacuum electric tubes such for example as those employed in the'production of X rays and in the generation and rectification of alternating currents.

According to theinvention the surfaces of the portions to be joinedareformed" of a metal \vhich'alloys with another metal or, alloy which is itself liquid or plastic. Pref crably mercury or an amalgam is em loyed. The container portionsbetween whichthe joint is tobe made are coated-with such liquid or plastic metal or alloyland' are p f pliedto one another tofform the joint or seal and the liquid or plastic metal or alloy forms the sealing, medium.

'In carrying out the invention theportio'ns to be joined are first given 'a good mechanicalf fit preferably. bygrinding them into each other. The container or at least' tlie surface of the portionsthereof where they are in contact is constructed of amen which alloys with or is wet by mercury {that is, a metal which is capable of forming an amalgam, preferably copper. If the n: tainer is not itself constructedof such metal; the surfaces eli'ecting thejoint may be joined for example by electrordeposition. The joint is effected by placing thecontainer portions together with a small amount of mercury between the surfaces to act as a sealing medium. Preferably the surfaces are amalgamated before being placed in con tact. The amount of mercury used should he rcdii-i'l'ed toa iriinimum consistent with ob tainit ji he: joint. If desired the joint, as

constructed according to this invention may be provided with an ordinary mercury seal as is a common practice. 'lVhc'n one or more of the portions to be joined is constructed of non-metallic material then it may be given a coating of'suitable metal for example by clectro-deposition. \Vhen the portion of the container is constructed of glass then the metalwhich is deposited thereon maypref erably be such that it is wet by glass and mercury and it may be fused into thesurface of-the glass. w In. the preferred method of coating. the glass with a metallic surface'fused thereto for the purpose. of this inventionthe (r ass is firstcoated with 'a deposit. of 'metal such for instance. as gold. Any substiniceffihich when heatedyvillleaye an adherent eonduc g i ye rr-$ 1 h y-b-. u b is preferred-,tQ, e1 npl0y; a noble. metal owing to thefactthat this does-not ,okidize, on heat- -'-'=-11: 1 2i? f i tr ir i" I e-" o e. meth, dathmg a s. g -zpat d with olduch q ide; y; slip i g. i tfiki i t lei a u on r 9 y P i n t th r The-gold zehlorideds then decomposed and"v de e d posit -H. Th enr h izfie e fie number g f; times,-; fog example tent times; he: ldiisi a r setemt i h lr si .I a yiol e ed a-numbi --,of., mes f -.c fiv,

w a h ib tbreiemm smirue-p atm tn hq ghw his. @1 9 c ary-.. (Popper is. their d po te ipni he'igl ssi s the old. s, arbas n rheidep sitshshsmld ta -sieve or he nau h pperr s... .1 a..- eese y-h ng-itr he ineman ak fl m in a reducingptmosphege gthougl nonessential to the process; a air solvent, or by plunging in concentrated sulphuric acid and the metal remaining on the tube is lightly pickled in readiness for immension in. the acid copper vat. Copper is thendeposited on the glass until: the desired. thickness of deposit is obtained. If avery dense deposit is required the tube may be rotated at a high speed. The first burning in of the thin layer of copper and the trimming of'the edges is not necessary but is found to be advisable.

The copper may be deposited directly on the burnt in gold, to the final thickness re quired and if desired deposition or at least thick deposition on the edges may be prevented by means of waxjor otherwise. It is found that it,is not essential to burn in the gold in the initial stage but it is' desirable to do so unless the glass has'a low melting point for. instance, lead glass. Alterna:- tively the gold may bedeposit'ed on the glass by other means, for example,by an electric discharge in a vacuum. In the'latter case a base metal such aseop'per may be deposited instead of gold.

In another method the gold is affixed to the glass in the form ofgold leaf and is then burnt in. To assist in fixing the gold leaf it may be held in position and fixed with an ethereal solution of gold chloride, borax orother suitable'suhstance.

It is found that a" perfectcoPper-to-glass seal ma be produced by these means, the copper ei ng -'in'- a'non-oxiflized condition. Howevergthis'isnot essential as the coppen maybe oxidizedtocuproiis (ixide' at the sur face of' the' lass a nd i; l1e' OX ide'SQ formed dissol'yes in t e glass in-the burni'r 'g in proof). esses.- In one method the tube is coatedwith borax before" the copper is deposited there on, said hora-x accentuat ing" the productionof cuprous 'o'xide. VVh'engoldleaf is used as'the base for the depositionprocess it may be affixed to the glass by a solution of'borax or borax may be applied'first tothe-glass. The formation of cuprons oxide at the sealmaybe further increased by depositing the copper at a very r1 id rate when theglass is first placedinto t= e'bath. I

To enablethe inrentionto'beclearly understood it will now he'Ilescribed' vit h ref erence td'tlie accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1"is asectiona'l'vziew ofa porti'onof a, vacuum electric devicehaving aconical joint ,or seal in accordance With-the i'nven; t-ion and-Fig. 2 is 'a sectional View of two' por tions, of an eracuate'd devic-e having a butt joint in accordancewith the invention; Fig; 3: is a sectionalwiew of a portion-of a vacuum electric device having" a l'ead in conduetor sealedftherei'ri in accordancefwith the inven time .i 1 M In, 1 ofjthe drawinas which only il mamas the, part. of tha -libs, w ich is. in he, neighbezzrhood of the joint, one portion of the tube shown at 1 is metallic and the other portion 2 non-metallic. The portion 1 is preferably of copper or alternatively it may be of steelfor example, and coated'ovcr the eonioel'sealing surface 3 thereof with a metal such for. example as copper; The non-metallic portion 2 consists of a tube of vitreous material such as glass having a conical portion 4 correspondin to the conicalportion 2- of the portion 1'. '%he portion 2' may carry for example, a re-entrant tube 5 and seal for the lead-in wires 6. The conical portion 4 1s coated over its surface with a layer of copper '7 which is burnt into the glass ashereinbefore described. Before coating the glass with copper it is groundinto the metal' tube 1 so as to obtain an accurate mechanical, fit. It preferably ground in again after burning in the copper surface. -The two surfaces 3 and 7 are then individually amalgamated and,the jointefifected, by placing the tube. elements in posltion. V

Referring toFig. 2 which illustrates the oining of two copper tubes to form. a vacuum. joint, the two tubes 8 and 9 are provided with flanges l0 and- 11 which are ground together and then amalgamated, the joint being effected'by placingthe flanges to gather in position.

If desired the metallic portion of'the container may be constructed, at least in. the neighbourhood of the seal, of a metal having the same coefficient of'expansion as the glass employed forthe other element of the seal and the surface which is touching the glass 1 element with a copper surface may be coated with copper.

Alternatively, theportions of the container near thesealjmaybe constructedof' a plu ra'lity of metals having different coefficients of, expansion, and may, be so: shaped. that owing to the construction and to thediffcrnnce in the coefficients of expausion, ithas at the point where it is sealed the glass a resultant coefficient of expansion equal to that of the glass. I

\Vhen aseal or joint of the kind set forth is employed in a highly evacuated container such for example as one employed'for hard vacuumelectric tubes, the portion of the seal nearest to the interior of the container may be assembled.dry, that is, without the inercury sealing-medium, in order, to prevent the diffusion of-mercury "apour into the appa- Eatus. 4 v

The ins-'antion may be employed for the scaling of a leading-1n conductor. intoa vacuum container. Referring to Fig. 3 whichilluztrates this application. the tube 12 is sealed atone may to the container-at 12 and is provided at itsother endwithaflare on conical portion 13. The leading-in conductor is shown at 14 and passes through the tube 12. Mounted substantially coaxially with the leading-in conductor and arranged to make a good mechanical fit with the conical portion'13 of the tube 12 1s a metallic tube 15, for example of copper, which is preferably short and thin walled. This tube is attached to the conductor 14 by a. thin continuous support 16 so formed that it is elastic and flexible in order that it may expand and contract upon temperature changes. The tube 15 is sealed to the tube 12 in the manner hereinbefore described. A plurality of such seals may bearranged along the length of the conductor: three such seals are illustrated in Fig. 3. A cellular space such as 17 between adjacent seals may be filled with aliquid such as mercury; oil or the like. if desired. rtlternatively-thete spaces may be evacuated by assembling the seals in vacuo. \Vhen the seal is intended for use. with apparatus in which an extremely high vacuum is nece sary then the seal or seals nearest the evacuated vessel may be as sembled without the mercury 'sealing'medium in order to prevent. mercury vapour diffusing over into the evacuated vesselj During evac uation of the vessel the thin -walledtube comprising this last seal may be distorted so that the space between the last and the last but one seals is open to the .versel during the evacuation period and so-isthoroughly evacuated. It may consist wholly-or in part of a magnetic material such as 'ironIand-distortion produced by meanszof a magriet applied externally to the-tube. The space. between-the last seal and-last but one may contain metals which absorb mercury vapour such for example as sodium, gold, copper or the like? "a Alternatively, in place of mercury as sealing medium, a liquid or plastic alloy of mercury may be employed or other metals such for example as sodium, potassium and the like, or alloys of these, and the joining effected at. the temperature at which these metals or alloys become plastic or liquid.

lVhat I claim is 1. The method of forming a detachable gas-tightseal between two portions of an apparatus which is adapted to be evacuated, which consists in forming the jointing surfaces of a metal which alloys with an alloying medium which is itself flowable under a force applied thereto, applying such alloying medium to said jointing surfaces to alloy therewith, and then placing together the alloyed jointing surfaces to form the seal.

2. The method of forming a detachable gas-tight seal between two portions of an apparatus which is adapted to be evacuated, which consists in forming the jointing surlaces of a metal which alloys with a metallic alioying medium which is itself flowable at s-zu'ostantially ordinary temperature under applied force, applying such alloying medium to said jointing surfaces to form an alloy therewith and then placing together the jointing surfaces thus prepared to form the seal.

3. The method of forming a gas-tight seal between two portions of an apparatus which is adapted to be evacuated. which consists in forming the jointing surfaces of a metal which alloys with a metallic medium which is itself liquid, applying said liquid metallic medium to saidjomting surfaces to alloy therewith, and then placing together the jointing surfaces thus prepared.

4. The method of forming a gas-tight. seal between two portions of an apparatus which is adapted to be evacuated, which consists in forming the jointing surfaces each of a metal which alloys with another metal which is itself liquid, applyingsaid liquid metal to said jointing surfaces, and then placing together the jointing surfaces.

The method of forming a gas-tight seal between two portions of an apparatus which is adapted to be evacuated, which consists in forming the jointing surfaces each of a metal which alloys witl1-mercury,'*-applying mercury to said jointing surfaces, and then placing together the jointingsurfaces. i

6. The method of forminga gas-tight'seal between two' portions of an apparatus" which is adapted'to'be evacuated, of which portion one at least is of. glass,'whi ch consistsiin forming the jointing surfaces of copper, ap-' plying mercury to saidjointing surfaces,- and then placing together the: jointing surfaces to form the sealm; f i r? 7. The method of forming. a .quickly detachablegas-tight-seal between the two poi tions of; an apparatus-whichis adapted to be evacuated, of which portions one at least is of glass, which consists in forming the jointing surfaces of a metal which alloys with an alloying medium which is flowable under an applied force at a temperature which is less than the shock temperature above atmospheric temperature of the glass, applying said alloying medium in said flowable state to said jointing surfaces to alloy therewith, and then placing together the jointing surfaces while the alloying medium is in said flowable state.

8. The method of forming a quickly detachable gas-tight seal between two portions of an apparatus which is adapted to be evacuated, of which portions one at least is of glass, which consists in forming the jointing surfaces of a metal which alloys with another metal which is flowable under an applied force at a temperature which is less than the shock temperature above atmospheric temperature of the glass, applying said metal in said flowable state to said jointing surfaces, and then placing together the jointing surfaces so as to form the seal.

9. In an apparatus which is adapted to be evacuated, a gas-tight seal for joining portions thereof comprising cooperative and between adjoining surfaceswhich consist respectivelyof a metal capable ofalloy ing with said medium.

11'. In an apparatus which is adapted to be evacuated a gas-tight seal between porr-r: tions thereof comprising a. liquid alloying medium co-related to and between; adjoiningsurfaces each 0t which consists of a metal capable of ailloying with the said alloying medium.

12. In an apparatus which is adapt'edto heevacuated, a gas-tight seal between: por tions thereof comprisingmercury co-related to and between adjoining surfaces each of which consists of a metal capable of alloy ing with mercury.

13. In an apparatus which isadapt'ed to be evacuated, agas-tight seal between portions thereof comprising jointingsurfaces ofcopper which are alloyed with mercury.

14. In an apparatus which is adapted to be evacuated and comprises-portions at least one of which isof glass, a gas-tight sealfor joining said portions consisting of jointing surfaces of metalon the respective portions,

' and'an a1loying"mediuin'- co related to and betweensaid surfaces, which medium-is 'flbw ableunder an applied force at a temperabure less than. the shocktemperature above ordinary atmospheric temperature of glass and will alloy with the metal jointing surfaces on said: portions.

15. A gas-tight sealfor the portionsof an apparatus which is adapted to be evacuated, one of said portions beingof metal and the other portion of. vitreous material, comprising metal. jointing surfaces on. said portions each of: which is alleged with an alloying medium; which is itself fl'owahle under a forceapplied, thereto,- the: co -efiicienb of expension of said metal portion: adjacent to the.- seal, measured; at the: surface of the seal, being-substantially equal to that of the vitreous portion;: 1

. 16. -& gas-tight seal: for.- the; portions of an apparatusrwliiclr is'adtlpted: to-be evacuated comprising-an alloying medium which is-flowable under. aforcempplied thereto and is co-relatedatoi and between adjoining conical surface'srof ametal capable of: alloying with said-.allo ingm8dilllnz v 1.7; 'AJ"g3-t-1g ht seal. -forutheportionsof an-appztratus.:whichlfis adapt-edfibo he evacuated',. comprisingaan lalloyin'g m'ediumrwhich is flow able? under wforce applied: thereto and is co-r'elated toand? between adjoining conical'surfacesirofl winetali capable of. alloying with said mediimiy the' coniealcsui'face on one p'ortiorrof the apparatus beingl'connected tosuch-portiohabynailtaxihlsupport.

In testimony -wh'eneof I have-hereunto subscribedazmy in'am ei this eighfiha-day 0 f A-Ug S f192 t Esme incisors R BINSON. 

